Skip to content

Roughriders release Canadian running back Messam following voyeurism charge

REGINA — Jerome Messam’s second stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders has come to an abrupt end after the Canadian running back was charged with voyeurism.
12928733_web1_CPT117489974

REGINA — Jerome Messam’s second stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders has come to an abrupt end after the Canadian running back was charged with voyeurism.

The Riders announced via twitter Monday they’ve released the veteran running back “after he has been criminally charged following an incident in November, 2016.” The CFL confirmed in a statement the charge was voyeurism.

The league said it will not register a contract for Messam should any team attempt to sign him.

Both the Roughriders and CFL said they will not have further comment as the matter is now before the court.

The six-foot-three, 240-pound Messam ran for just 206 yards on 52 carries (3.9-yard average) in six regular-season appearances this season.

Messam rejoined the Riders as a free agent this off-season after spending parts of three campaigns with the Calgary Stampeders (2015-17). Messam was with the Alberta club at the time of alleged incident and registered consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns (1,198 yards in 2016, 1,016 in 2017) before returning to Saskatchewan.

Messam, a 33-year-old from Brampton, Ont., spent the 2014-15 seasons with Saskatchewan before being dealt to Calgary on Oct. 14, 2015.

Under the Criminal Code, voyeurism is when someone “surreptitiously, observes — including by mechanical or electronic means — or makes a visual recording of a person who is in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy.”

The Criminal Code also covers distributing recordings from such offences.

Punishment is up to five years in prison.